Passage

[breathtest]

.....

[Buh4Bee]

This is an effective story in the sense that you, the writer, give the reader permission to hate the narrator. He is a disgusting character. I was so enraged by the portrayal of Linda (Rosa), that I almost stopped reading. I
This part of the story effectively reveals how broken, demoralized, and sad the narrator is:
Of course she went to the toilet. It was valiant of her to do so, because I, the lesser person, would have walked right out of there without looking back. If I were her, I might possibly have made a swing at me. I might possibly have stabbed me with a fork, or glassed me, and then walked out. Then again, if I were her, I would be more valiant than I.
She has virtue, that woman. She is stronger than I. I am a fool. I am devastated.

The previous segment boiled my blood. It was clearly a “male perspective” that goes into an area that tests the boundaries, at least of my emotions.

Why do they meet for lunch?

[Steven Hunley]

Well, just let me say this. I liked it a lot. It was a powerful piece. I don't think she was so bad, but his perception of her was. Demoralization was the theme wasn't it? Desperation, a certain blackness to the whole piece. Dark and then darker as we step into it word by word, phrase by phrase.
Every detail was clothed in drearyness. What a tailor you are!

[breathtest]

Jersea -that's a valid question. I think I should expand on why they finally meet up after seven years apart. Thanks for drawing that to my attention.

I tried to create a protagonist who was easy to hate and yet in some sense easy to forgive, because he admonishes himself, and can't really understand why he behaves so angrily towards Linda.

Steven Hunley - Thanks a lot. You hit on exactly the things I tried to portray.

[Buh4Bee]

Yes, it's a good story and your writing is really taking off. Wow!

[breathtest]

Thank you ever so much